Traffic-signal.



TRAFFIC SlGNAL.

APPLICATIQN FILED AUG.10, 1915.

1,175,843. Eatented Mar. 14,1%.

ZSHEE'TS-SHEET @Wi/immo@ l v F 772W@ M325 J. TOMASZEWSKI.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED Amano. I9I5.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Snom/Ibo@ f STATE PATENT @El JOHN TOMASZEWSKI, F PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. i4, litt.

Application iled August ttl, 191.5. Serial No. 44,783.

' his seat in the machine, whereby a direcf tion 1 of tional indicatoris operated to give4 notice to trai'lic ollicers andthe operators ofother cars and` the general public as to whether the car equipped withthe signal intends to proceed straight ahead or turn to the right orleft.

A. further object of the invention is to provide thev primarycontrolling device or switch upon the steering wheel so as not tonecessitate the driver removing his hands from the wheel in order to setthe signal.

lith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings z--Figure 1 is a side elevation of thetraiic signal of this invention shown applied to an automobile, the viewbeing partly broken away` for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 is anenlarged vertical longitudinal section through the signal. Fig. 3 is aplan view thereof partly broken away to show the means for actuating theindicator. Fig. 4

' is a detail perspective view illustrating the of the directionalindiseparable sections i D Fig, 5 1s a plan view of cator or pointer.the switch loon.

Referring to the drawings A designates generally a casing or housing inwhich the major portion of the-operating mechanism controlling the.directional pointer 1s contained, the casing A comprising the mainlower section 1 and the upper removable or.

cap section 2. Surrounding the 'main secthe casing-isr a strap 3 whichis extended in rear thereof to form a split" loop 4 which is adapted toembrace the .lilling nozzle of the radiatorl of an automobile at theforemost end of the "car in order to sup-,

p ort the signal in the most conspicuous position on the car, the splitloop` 4 being clamped tightly around the nozzle of the radiator by meansof one or more bolts 5.

Located and'operating above the casing or housing A. is the directionalpointer 6 which is shown for convenience in the form of an arrow. Thisarrow as illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises the forward or pointed section6 and the rear or tail section 6, the adiacent ends of said sectionsoverlapping eac-h other as indicated in the drawings andV being providedadjacent to their overlapping portions with oppositely pressed-substantially V-shaped offsets 7 which are designed to receive thesquared upper end portion 8 of the shaft hereinafter particularlydescribed, the overlapping portions of the arrow sections being bolted,riveted or otherwise fastened together as at 9. A

The upper portion of the shaft 8 extends through and is journaled in thetop wall of the cap section 2 of .the casing A and is rovided above thecap 2 with a washer or collar 10 to exclude water, dirt and otherforeign matter from the interior of the casing Within the upper portionof the casing A, the shaft 8 is provided with ani-offset or crankportion 11 the endv of which is reduced to forma shoulder 12 andthreaded to receive a nut 13. A sector gear 14 is formed with a hole 15to receive the lower end of the shaft 10, said sector gear being clampedtightlv on the shaft between the shoulder 12 and the nut 13. T he teeth16 of thev sector gear mesh'witha pinion 17 on the armature shaft 18 ofa reversible electric motor 19 which is contained within the casing andis provided with a supporting or base flange 20 bolted to the rear end4wall of the casing.

21 designates a bracket having an attaching liange 22 which may beconnected to the end wall of the casing A by means of the same bolts orfasteners 23 which secure the electric motor in place therein. Thebracket 21 overhangs the motor and the sector gear 14 is journaledthereon at 24.

Therefore, as the sector gear 14 is turned y end portion of thecrankshaft 8 in a corresponding direction thereby effecting a turning of thedirectional pointer to the respective side.

Mounted upon the sector gear 14 at diametrically opposite points arepinions 25,

26 designating the journals of said pinions and being shown in the formof screws. These pinions coperate with the pinion 18 of the motor whenthe pointer has traveled through an arc of ninety degrees from thecentral or neutral position thereof. Contractile springs 27 areconnectedv at their forward ends to the opposite corners. or angles ofthe sector gear and are fastened atv their opposite extremities to theinterior of the casing A, said springs servingto return the sector gear14 and the pointer to a neutral or central position in which the pointeris directed straight ahead.

The lead wires to the electric motor 19 pass through a housing tube 28which leads from the casing A rearwardly through the dash of the vehicleinto a switch boX 29 mountedV within convenient reach of the driver inhis seat, said switch box containing a switch operated by a switch leveror handle 30.

31 designates the 'lead wires fromthe switch to the battery or othersource of electrical energy carried by the car.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the operation of the mechanism hereinabovedescribed will be understood. When the operator desires to set thesignal to indicate that he is going to turn to the right, he moves thehandle 30 of the switch in one direction. This energizes the motor so asto turn in the appropriate direction causing the pinion 17 to actuatethe sector gear 1G and cause the same to sweep through an arc of -ninetydegrees from the central point. When the teeth of the pinion 17 pass outof engagement with the teeth 16 of the sector gear, the pinion 17 mesheswith one of the idler pinions 25 which by reason of frictional contactwith its journal 26, prevents the teeth of the pinion 17 from meshingwith or striking against the adjacent end t oth of the sector gear 1G.This enables the ijointer tol be maintained in its indicating positionto the right as long as the electric motor is in operation. By returningthe switch lever 30 to its central or neutral position, the appropriatespring 27 acts to ret-urn the sector gear 141 to its normal position andcauses the arrow to again point straight ahead. By moving the switchlever 30 in the opposite direction, the same result is produced exceptthat the motor is caused to revolve in the opposite direction and turnthe pointer to the left. The switch,

box 29 is preferably located on or adjacent to the steering wheel. ofthe machine so that the operator may control the directional pointer`without' re moving his hands from .the steering wheel, this beingparticularly lvaluable in making turns when it is important for theoperator to have both hands on the steering wheel.

The weight of the entire apparatus 1s approximately four pounds and isentirely weather proofr It is intended to enamel the pointer white so asto give the greatest possiblel contrast with the body of the car whichis usually `of a very dark color. This, however, is a soA beingattracted by the opposite polesef the magnet 32. The armatures 33 thusact in conjunction with the magnet 32 as stops for limiting the movementof the sector gear 14:- in opposite directions, and hold the sector gearat one limit or the other of its movement while the adjacent pinion 25is in mesh with the pinion 17. The electro-magnet 32 is in series withthe electric motor 19 so that both are simultaneously energized upon theclosing of the switch which controls the circuit.

Having thus described my invention, I

1. ln a traffic signal, a directional pointer mounted to sweep through agiven arc,'and electrically controlled means for actuating said pointerand sustaining the same in a convenient position, said means embodying areversible electric motor, a sector gear by which said pointer iscarried, a dri :ing pinion on the shaft of said motor meshing with saidsector gear, idler pinions journaled on the latter and arranged tol meshwith the driving pinion when either limit of movement of the sector gearis reached, a magnet arranged about centrally of the sweep of the sectorgear, and arms forming armatures carried by said sector gear and eachattracted by said magnet to maintain one of said idler pinions in meshwith the driving pinion when the pointer is at the limit of its sweep.

2. In a trafiic signal, a directional pointer mounted to sweep through agiven arc, and

electrically controlled means for actuating said pointensaid meansembodying areversible electric motor, a sector gear by' which saidpointer is carried, a rivng pinion on the shaft of said motormeshingwith said sector gear, and idler pinions journaled on the latterand arranged to `mesh With the .driving pinion when either limit ofmovement ofthe-:sector gear is reached.

n testimony whereof aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN TOMASZEVSKI.

Witnesses:

A. GRUBER, H. F. SPEARS.

Copies of this patent may -be obtained for ve centsveach, by `addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C.

